Gall arraigned in Elyria homicide; bail set at $2 million (UPDATED)

ELYRIA — An East Cleveland man was arraigned Tuesday in Elyria Municipal Court on charges of aggravated murder in connection with the shooting death of Willie Fisher.

Patrick Gall, 18, was arraigned by video before Judge Robert White. Gall is being held in Lorain County Jail and White set his bond at $2 million.

Gall was arrested early Tuesday following a nearly four-hour standoff with police and U.S. Marshals.

Elyria police believe Gall and John Sullivan, 29, also of East Cleveland, shot and killed Fisher on Friday behind the Convenient store on East Avenue at the behest of Bruce Arnoff, 56, of Solon. Arnoff was arraigned Monday on charges of murder and tampering with evidence.

During Arnoff’s arraignment, the prosecutor said Arnoff paid Gall and Sullivan $500 to murder Fisher. The crime was caught on video, the prosecutor said.

Sullivan remains incarcerated in Cuyahoga County. He was pulled over reportedly for speeding on Interstate 480 by Brooklyn police about 10 p.m. Friday, less than four hours after Fisher’s body was found near the Convenient Food Mart on East Avenue.

Sullivan was held on weapons charges and an unrelated warrant out of Maple Heights. Police said Gall, who was in the car with Sullivan, identified himself as Saint-Velle Pruitt, 19, also of East Cleveland, and was released after the traffic stop.

A sweeping search was initiated for Pruitt on Monday, and Pruitt turned himself in to Elyria police between 5 and 6 p.m. Monday to clear his name. After police reviewed video from the Brooklyn stop, they acknowledged that Pruitt was telling the truth of his innocence so he was released and a homicide warrant was sworn out for Gall.

Elyria police Capt. Chris Costantino said it was unfortunate Pruitt’s identity was used, but commended him and his family for cooperating with detectives.

“This kind of shows that he did the right thing: he came, he sat down with us and we took care of it,’’ he said. “That’s the way the process should work.”

U.S. Marshals went to Gall’s home in East Cleveland, but Gall barricaded himself inside about 9:45 p.m. Monday. Marshals, erring on the side of caution, called in the Cleveland SWAT team.